Returning Home!

Monday, August 25, 2014

I don't have a whole lot to say this week unfortunately. :( A lot did happen though!

First off, we had exchanges with the Sister Training Leaders, Hermanas Arancibia & Binks. Hermana Binks came with me this transfer. She's great! I learned a lot from her! We contacted a ton of people and met a great woman named Angelica. Come to find out, she has 9 kids!! 7 of which are of baptism age! She invited us over the next day, and we met all her kids. We're going back this coming week to teach them all. How neat is that!! I am SO stoked to be teaching them! Miracles happen on exchanges! Plus Hermana Binks gave me tons of advice on training. She hasn't trained before, but hey, she's a Training LEADER now. haha. I think she knows what she's talking about.

She just gave me advice on helping my greenie become confident. I've noticed that's what she lacks. She has the desire to work, is obedient and does what she needs to, but I sense she doesn't have very much self-confidence. That's something I feel like I've picked up on the mission, and I hope I can do something for her. I need a lot more patience and charity though. Sometimes I think I'm the worst trainer in the world, then other times I let myself think, "Ok, you're doing just fine."

On Thursday we had a training meeting in Jasper, Indiana. The Assistants and President Brough came and trained us on training. I needed it a lot. I wish they'd had one before I started training!! They just talked a lot about their experiences with training and the miracles that are going to happen on the mission. Basically a nice pump-up sesh. :)

AND! Guess where we're going tomorrow!! NEW ALBANY, INDIANA (my first zone!) to listen to CRAIG A. CARDON!!! I am SO excited! It's going to be an all day mission conference, and I get to see Hermana Carnahan! Woot woot! :) I just love that girl! She's the best! It's going to be a great day. A member is driving us there. We have to leave at 5:30 am our time to get there (different time zone--BOO). Fun fun!

This week has been the hottest and most humid week of the summer. It's been craaaazy hot. Not crazy hot, but the humidity makes it worse. My glasses fog up every time I get out of the car. (BTW. Contact lenses???)

Everything is going well here in Owensboro. We need to get moving on a lot of stuff. This coming week is the final M&MTC class. Pray it goes well! We're going to work on setting a million bap dates this week. I see a lot of potential in a lot of people we're teaching, so I pray everything goes well with everyone and that I don't screw up. Pray for us here in Owensboro Spanish! :)

Monday, August 11, 2014

This training stuff is intense business! It's a very humbling experience as well. I'm flying by the seat of my pants because I wasn't given any sort of instructions on this whole thing. (Is this what parenthood is like???) So, my "baby" is Hermana Gamett. She is from Mackey, Idaho, and she's 19. She was in the Mexico MTC like I was. :) She's doing pretty well so far! As for me being the trainer, I'm managing haha. It's a big load to take over an area, especially when you're the only one who knows Spanish. Her Spanish is pretty good, but like mine at the beginning, it'll take some work. We're doing well together. I'm just glad she's not disobedient or lazy! She's doing well for a greenie. :)

This last week has been up and down, left and right, and who knows where. I feel like Heavenly Father is trying to teach me the lesson that I can't do everything all on my own. We went two or three days not being able to find virtually anybody. We've had a few lessons to teach thank goodness, but it's been rough going. Everyone kept dropping appointments, not being there, etc. and I've really felt like I've been failing, which stinks when your in front of your greenie trying to give her hope and inspiration! But I'm having to learn the lesson that it's all Heavenly Father, not me. I can't forget Him in this work because it's His, not mine. Pray for me!

At transfers meeting last week I got to see all 11 of the hermanas who went home. ALL the hermanas were there. It was a bittersweet reunion! Hermana Lawrence (my trainer), Hermana Gamett and I got our posterity picture together! And I got to tell Hermana Carnahan happy birthday! She told me about what's going on in Hikes, and I almost started crying with joy. She said Jose, our convert (he got baptized a couple days after I left), is on fire about the Gospel and is doing really great!! They brought him to a lesson with Dario, our other investigator, and guess what?! JOSE INVITED HIM TO BE BAPTIZED! Dario's getting baptized in a WEEK!!! I almost cried hearing that. Dario and Jose have special places in my heart! I'm so happy that I can see the fruits of the work I put in during my short time in Hikes. Ah. Makes my heart happy. :) Very very happy!! I feel like Alma and the Sons of Mosiah, being able to see the fruits of their labors. What joy!

That is my life as of right now! Just trying to train my "baby" up in the right ways and to have fun. Please pray for me! We need all the help we can get here. Erasmo is working toward his baptism in September, and I'm praying for miracles to happen in his life these next few weeks. Thank you all for your support and love!!!

Monday, August 4, 2014

I'M TRAINING!!!! WAHOOOO!!!! :D President Brough called me Saturday morning to ask me to train! I am so excited! That means my "baby" is flying into Kentucky from Mexico right now! I will have a little greenie tomorrow! :) It's so exciting! Scary...but exciting! :D :D Wish me luck!

Now for the bad news..... my camera broke. :( I am so upset about it. I don't know what to do. It fell off a table at district meeting last week, and now it won't work. I took it to Best Buy to get it checked out, but they said since it doesn't have any drop insurance, that it would cost about $35 to ship it out and then another $120+ in labor fees to get it fixed. UGH. I don't know what to do about it. I'm camera-less....which is NOT good for a photographer! Hopefully some good Samaritan will randomly stop me on the street and give me a camera. That would be cool. But in the meantime....no more pictures :(

This last week was pretty good. Aside from getting no sleep all week, things have been ok. I just love all the families in my branch here, especially the Capeners. They are a new, young family that just moved in a month ago, and they are AWESOME. Brother Capener speaks Spanish and he's a chiropractor, and he offered to adjust me for acid reflux. It was so nice! I love adjustments! Then Sister Capener is this wonderful, outgoing, loving, sweet, great lady who is SO willing to feed us all the time and go to lessons with us even though she can't speak Spanish. I just love her to death!! She's an answer to our prayers for sure. :) I want a family like hers. They are all so sweet, never talk bad about anything or anyone, and are so welcoming and warm. Just love them!!

I don't really have much to report for this week. I don't have much time today since it's Hermana Luke's last day. It's hard being with a missionary going home since she has to get everything ready to go. She's far from trunky, but we still talk about how weird it is/how it feels to be going home. Make the most of every minute wherever you are!!